Financial crime in the EU

The creation of the Single Market and the breaking down of barriers not only aids legitimate business, but may also provide increased opportunities for money laundering and financial crime. European legislation has been adopted to protect the financial system and other vulnerable professions and activities from being misused for money laundering and financing of terrorism purposes. At the wider international level, the Internal Market Directorate General heads the European Commission's delegation to the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, the foremost world body active in this area.